I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tools and devices used to hang wallcoverings such as wallpaper, but more particularly to such hand held tools and devices for smoothing and seam setting of wallcoverings, as well as guiding a cutter when trimming wallcoverings such as wallpaper.
II. Description of the Related Art
The related art of hanging wallcoverings involved the use of a smoothing brush, smoother, a broad knife, a sponge or cloth, a seam roller, and a cutting tool. The user was required to hang the wallcovering, using the brush in an upward or downward motion to smooth out air pockets, butt the edges, set the seams with a seam roller, and using the broad knife as a blind guide, trim the wallcovering.
The aforesaid smoothing, butting and setting of seams, and trimming aspects of hanging wallcoverings are difficult, time-consuming, and particularly inefficient, which sometimes results in unsightly errors leaving an unprofessional finish. The use of a brush, smoother, or a broad knife in smoothing wallcoverings without marring or tearing the surface is a continuing problem; manipulation of the wallcovering to conform to the wall or butt the seam by use of the brush or broad knife is limited by the sharp edges of the broad knife and by the lack of rigidity of the bristles of the brush. Consequently, numerous attempts have been made to invent tools and methods that will allow the skilled and the nonskilled to hang wallcoverings quickly and professionally. Examples of such attempts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,490,198 (Mitchell), D297,801 (Olsson), D282,622 (Bobo), 5,181,320 (Tucciarone), 3,500,540 (Lundquist), and 4,077,124 (Christmann).
Mitchell and Bobo disclose a wallpaper hanger having an elongated edge as a guide over which paper is drawn and then clamped, a handle is centrally attached to this guide plate assembly then the device is used to position the paper on the wall and smoothed downward. In general this attempt to smooth wallcovering without a hands-on approach is both unpractical and unwieldy; its design would render the positioning of the wallpaper cumbersome. Additionally, the application of wallcovering involves more than downward motion and, in fact, requires multiple movements in order to conform the wallcovering to the wall.
Another relevant tool disclosed in Olsson's patent, describes an ornamental design for a wallpaper applying device. Although this device would provide a hands-on approach for smoothing wallpaper, the positioning of the hand required to clasp the tool would be burdensome and limits wrist movement, and its designed form with the squared smoothing edge and corners and the alternate design with a serrated edge increase the possibility of scratching and marring the paper, and the serrated edge would tend to leave air pockets. In addition, no means is provided by either of these tools for butting and setting seams or for use as a guide in trimming wallcovering.
It is a common practice to use a broad knife as a straight edge guide in conjunction with a razor blade to trim wallcoverings. Problems arise when duplicate moves required to reposition the broad knife leave the trimmed edge uneven. Lundquist, Tucciarone, and Christmann have provided hand tools that address the need for an improved method of trimming wallcovering. However, in most cases the trimming of wallcovering needs to be manipulated by hand and therefore, these devices would prove to be difficult to position and produce their own problems.
Tucciarone discloses a wallpaper trimming tool for trimming the edges of wallpaper comprising a handle having a blade member secured thereto with a guide edge of the blade member extending transversely of the handle and a pair of opposed arms slidably supported from the handle for movement longitudinally of the handle. A holder is provided on each arm for securing a razor blade therewith and the arms are urged to a retracted position in which the associated razor blades are juxtaposed on the blade member and do not project beyond the guide edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,956, granted to Harrison et al. and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, is directed to a floor laying tool comprising a handle, a downwardly projecting shaft connected to one end of the handle, and a working plate portion. The lower end of the downwardly projecting shaft is connected to the top of the working plate portion. The working plate portion is generally triangular in shape with rounded corners.
One of the drawbacks associated with the tools disclosed by Tucciarone and Harrison et al. is that the user is not able to use all of the working surfaces and edges of the blade member or working plate portion interchangeably.
Current improvements in the art continue, but the one tool that can combine virtually every tool needed for hanging wallcovering has not yet been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,237 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,441 highlight the problems associated with the need for multiple tools, wherein the user needs a system or container for these tools.
The present invention provides a multi-function tool and method of use that overcomes the limitations of devices and methods of the related art.
The art to which the invention relates, therefore, includes the following patents:
Patent Number D297,801 D282,622 3,500,540 4,077,124 4,490,198 4,759,441 4,834,237 5,181,320